


178 - Van is a Customer at Your Store

by storiesaboutvan



Category: Catfish and the Bottlemen (Band)
Genre: Cute meet, F/M, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 05:23:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17400830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesaboutvan/pseuds/storiesaboutvan
Summary: Filling the prompts “I had a dream where I worked in retail and I served Van and he kept following me around and making up reasons to need my help like at one point I was working in the changing room and instead of bringing his 5 items in together he brought them separately so he could see me and I was wondering if you could base a fic off this?”





	178 - Van is a Customer at Your Store

"Y/N, go see if that guy needs help," Tash said. You looked to where she'd flicked her head. Only catching his blue eyes for a second before he looked down at something, you turned back to Tash. She was smirking.

"What?"

"Nothing. He's just been here for like, fifteen minutes. Been following you around, I think. Would think it's creepy, but he's dead cute, so…"

"That's really flawed logic. Cute people can be creepy,"

"So you agree he's cute?" she said in a tone that channelled Regina George.

"Not what I said, Tash. But I'll go do my job. You should maybe consider doing the same."

Walking up to the guy, you watched as he picked up a hat to try to seem like he was legitimately shopping, then realise it was the ugliest thing he'd ever seen. He put it back, but there was no time for him to go anywhere before you approached.

"Hi. Can I help you with anything today?" you asked.

His cheeks went red immediately and he couldn't stop himself from grinning, although it was clear he was trying his best. His eyes darted around, not wanting to settle on you. Finally, he had to.

"Uh, no… yeah… I don't know," he replied. It didn't give you much to go on.

"Ah, okay. Were you looking for something in particular?"

He was studying your face and it felt almost intrusive. He was focused on the curl of your eyelashes and the tone of your skin, but you were sure he'd notice the pimple forming on your forehead and the dark circles.

"Sorry!" he said when he realised you'd spoken. "Uh, what?"

"Are you looking for something… or just browsing?"

"I… could be looking for something." He spoke slowly, and you nodded your head.

"Um. Okay. Well… if you need help… looking for that something, I'll be over at the change rooms," you told him, taking a step backwards. He nodded and as you walked away you could see in the mirrored wall that he'd smashed his palm against his face. Glancing over at the counter, Tash had watched the whole interaction. She shook her head and you made a face that told her to leave it.

In the change rooms there were a lot of leftover clothes. Maybe it was inconsiderate of people, but it was easier to take them from there and return them to the racks than it would be to find them wherever people shoved them. As you sorted through, sitting on the ugly velvet ottoman, someone cleared their throat behind you.

The guy was holding a plain black t-shirt. The red hadn't faded from his cheeks, and his spare hand was shoved into his pocket.

"Can I try this on?"

It wasn't really the type of thing that was necessary to try on. People know their t-shirt size. Standard. You nodded and pulled a curtain across for him. You'd watched guys literally take their jeans off and try a new pair on in the middle of the store before. Not to say that one gender is more modest than the others, but it was unusual to be letting a guy in to try on anything, let alone a t-shirt. He thanked you on the way in.

You weren't sure if you should stay in case he needed something else, so you did. He emerged from behind the curtain only a few seconds later in the shirt.

"Whaddaya think?"

You tried to not smile. "Of the plain black t-shirt? The most basic thing in the store? Something everyone looks good in?"

He laughed; your response seemed to put him at ease. "So, I look good?" People were doing a fantastic job at twisting your words. He did, though. So you nodded. "Thanks. Meant to be getting something a bit more fancy, but,"

"So you are looking for something. Should have said," you joked. He smiled, probably a little embarrassed at his sudden inability to communicate. "I'll go have a look for something, yeah?"

He nodded and disappeared behind the curtain.

When you returned, he had also found a shirt. He'd picked the black version of the white button up you selected.

"Great minds," you mused. "Try both. White first."

Both were fantastic options. In the t-shirt he looked warm and cozy. It made you wonder what a hoodie would do for him. In a button up though… it gave angler shapes to his shoulders and that just drew attention to his sharp cheekbones.

"I saw another that might be okay," he said when he was back in his own clothes. He went off to find it and came back to try it on. You became suspicious that he was buying time when he kept repeating the process.

"It would be more efficient if you just went through the whole store and brought over anything you like,"

"What do you mean?" he said with a smirk. He knew exactly what you meant.

"Like, instead of going back and forth,"

"Do you have somethin' else you need to do? Girl at the counter said you don't," he replied. When the fuck had he talked to Tash? You looked over at her. She was filing her nails in an act that only cemented her place as a walking cliché in your mind.

"I don't. Do you? Most guys don't like spending heaps of time trying on clothes,"

"I'm not most guys," he replied. You'd handed that one to him, really. You smiled and shrugged.

So, he continued to bring things to you and you let him try them on. The clothing became less and less like the first few he picked. Things that, you guessed, he'd never actually wear. It was more than suspicious. It was obvious he was just trying to… stay near you? Talk to you? Whatever.

When other people came to try things on, he'd wait patiently for your attention to return to him. They probably thought he was your friend. He spoke to you like you were familiar and you replied with an ease that you couldn't explain.

"Y/N!" Tash yelled. "It's dead in here. Go to lunch. Wait! No! Make him buy something, then go to lunch!"

You gave her the thumbs up from across the store, then looked back over at him.

"I am going to buy stuff,"

"Honestly, don't care either way. I don't work on commission," you replied. He laughed and nodded.

He finally settled on the white button up you picked and got the black t-shirt. There was another floral button up he'd tried on in his effort to buy time, and he decided he'd get that for his friend. When he gave you his credit card, Tash leant over and snatched it from your hands.

"Ryan Evan McCann, huh?" she read.

"It's Van. Everyone calls me Van,"

"This is Y/N. I'm Tash. Nice to meet ya,"

"Nice to meet you too,"

"Ignore her. Sorry. Here," you said as you tapped the card to the machine and handed it back.

You walked him to the door of the shop. It wasn't something you usually did with customers, regardless of how kind they were or how much they spent. It was also something you didn't consciously do. Naturally, your body had just floated next to his.

"So… Are you going on a break now?" he asked. You bit down on your bottom lip.

"Guess so,"

"Maybe… I could take you to lunch? You know, to say thank you for being a very helpful shop assistant," he suggested with a smile that was half mischief, half sunshine, and all warmth.

"Sounds like a great idea," Tash yelled from somewhere in the shop. Van laughed and pointed in at her. She gave him the thumbs up and he returned the gesture.

"Tash, seriously! Fuck off, yeah?" you hissed back. She laughed and returned her attention to her nails. You looked back at Van. "Ah... Sounds like a great idea."


End file.
